The Laid-Back Shawl definitely lives up to its name. The stitches are very open and the pattern can be committed to memory in no time. This shawl is so versatile it can be paired with many different summer outfits. It adds that little bit of fashion flair without the bulk of many accessories. Knitting it from Creme de la Creme is just a bonus; you get the luxurious feel of combed cotton with the benefits of wearing that same cool fiber against your skin in hot weather.

The Laid-Back Shawl is the pinnacle of summer accessories. If the Layered Lace Dress was going to be too warm to knit, the shawl is the summer project for you. As you can see from the project picture, this is a very open stitch. While that does mean you’ll be much cooler wearing it in any kind of weather, it will also mean you have to keep an eye on your stitches while you’re knitting them.

It’s much more difficult to read your knitting when the stitches are on very large needles. The normal knit stitch looks quite a bit different! Be careful to look at your stitches before making any mistakes. It’s much easier to think and figure things out when you’re not in the middle of a crisis! Once you’ve got an idea how the stitches look, it will be less stressful trying to find where you are in the pattern.

In lace, reading your knitting is such an important skill. I have the utmost respect for lace knitters because they’re some of the most fearless people you’ll ever meet. Start small, with easily memorized patterns like this one, and before long, you’ll be on to garments that are much more complex. Any lace knitter I’ve ever met keeps a cool head on their shoulders and patiently untangles any problem they encounter. They read the stitches (which often is checking the alignment of the eyelets) and find where the problem occurred. The Laid-Back Shawl is an excellent place to practice reading your knitting.

I know we’ve had two lace-heavy posts, but really, summer is the perfect time to use these skills. If you’re not confident in your lace skills, this pattern and the Lacy Layered Dress pattern from yesterday’s post are two perfect patterns to get your feet wet. The Laid-Back Shawl isn’t overly difficult and it’s functional for the season. The only people who are keen on knitting a sweater in the sweltering heat of July, are the ones controlling the air conditioning. The rest of us are happy making fun summer knits!